Quite a fighter
by FanfictMONSTER
Summary: An encounter with some "mutie hunters" makes Rogue realize something about the man before her. PS- Cajun accents are hard to write, so shut up.


**I don't own X- men.**

**Yes I do.**

**No. I'm kidding.**

"I said, back off!" Rogue's dark, leather gloves made contact with Gambit's strong chest and shoved, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps. She stared at him with a "What the hell?" expression for a moment, then about faced and started marching away. He smirked, the right corner of his mouth turning up slightly. He sneaked along the littered street until he reached her side again. When he was right next to her ear, he purred, "Aw, c'mon, chere!"

"Remy!" She gave a start, then turned around to face him, anger fuming from every square inch on her body.

"Eh, what did y' call me, chere?"

She stared at him quizzically.

"Whadya mean? And stop callin' me that!" she added menacingly.

Gambit raised his arms. "Sorry, sorry! Ee's jus', you called me Remy. Y' know, instead of Gambit."

"Oh. Well… that _is_ your name, isn't it?"

He grinned.

"What? _What_ is so funny?"

He didn't say anything, but his mouth shifted a little.

"Ugh, never mind!" she growled, turning around. "I'm goin' home, and if you follah me, yer dead meat!"

Gambit's cloak swept the floor as he trailed after her. Rogue quickened her pace. Remy admired her from a few feet back, although his view was only the back of her head. Still, her choppy chestnut hair was beautiful, especially when it glowed in the moonlight. Not that there was much in New York City.

She was aware of him, despite the fact that his footsteps were completely noiseless with no effort on his part. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? She wasn't afraid of his odd behavior, but no one had ever been this interested in her, and she felt… weird. What did he want, anyway? Every now and then, she could hear a step behind her as he followed tirelessly. She began to feel a whole new wave of anger toward the stupid Frenchman. He was such a… a…

"Gambit!" Rogue's fury spilled over once again.

"Yes, cher-?" he stopped as he remembered (under the persuasion of a deadly glare) that the nickname wasn't favorable with her.

"Would y' prefer… _Marie_?" he smirked. Rogue's eyes grew wide. She clenched her teeth and threatened, "Do ya _want_ me to touch you?"

One of Remy's eyebrows raised, and she realized what she had just implied.

"Uh, but not like…ya know, bec- well, I just, uh, meant…" her hurried excuses were cut off as Remy laughed. At the sound of his chuckling, Rogue's stomach felt tight and a tingle ran through her body. She involuntarily smiled. Then she realized what she was doing and thinking, and swept her mind clear of all emotions except anger. The embarrassment left her. He was still laughing, so she saw a good opportunity and seized it.

Rogue reached inside her, past Shadowcat, Cyclops, Magneto, Juggernaut, Quicksilver… as she thought of each mutant, their thoughts and memories flashed in her head, but she had learned at the institute how to surpress them. She sought out Iceman, and her body temperature dropped. She focused hard, and ice shot from her fingertips, welding Gambit's feet to the ground. Her arms tingled with cold chills. This is what Bobby had to deal with? She felt frigid and cold, and he body felt heavier. She quickly dismissed the ice powers so she wouldn't have to live with that any longer.

"Smart, Marie-"

"Don't call me that!"

"-, but this is Gambit you're dealing with!" He winked craftily, and she wheeled around and started walking. There was an explosion behind her, followed by a curse.

_The idiot probably blew up his own leg with one of those stupid cards trying to get free_, she thought. But she couldn't help tilting her head to the side. From this position she could see out of the corner of her eye a figure in the road, holding his leg as suspected. For a moment she slowed her pace, wondering if she should help, but she just kept walking.

"Marie?" His ever—distant voice reached her, echoing from further down the alleyway. He didn't sound afraid, just satisfied that even when hurt, he could annoy the heck out of Rogue. She didn't care, and kept walking. But when she turned the corner that led to the road home, she was blinded by two piercing lights. Rogue squinted at the orbs, determined to figure out what they were. Suddenly they lurched towards her. It was a truck! She peered closer at the approaching vehicle. There were mutant slurs painted all over the doors, and the people in the front seats had handguns. They were vigilante mutant hunters! Her stomach tightened and her heart started to accelerate its pace.

She turned, aware of the men's weapons, and began sprinting back the way she had come. Maybe she could hide in the shadows, or – suddenly she remembered Gambit- it had only been a minute, but her intense fear had cleared her mind of all else. As badly as she wanted to, she knew she couldn't leave him. So as she ran and panted, legs aching and lights burning on her back, she thought of Cyclops, the man she once loved, and her eyes began to burn. She could now make out Gambit's crumpled form in the street ahead. He was watching, eyes glued to the scene in front of him. The truck got closer and closer, and suddenly it was next to her. It veered around and completed half a U- turn, cutting her off. She swallowed her fear and waited for something to happen. The window of the passenger side, the one closest to her, rolled down and a teenage boy stared out. He looked like a high school dropout. He ran a hand through his greasy blonde hair and dog whistled, and Rogue could almost feel his gaze flicker across her body by the way he looked at her. His eyes came to rest on her chest, he called to his buddies in the car with him (without removing his stare), "Hey, guys, come check _this_ chick out." He stared at her hungrily.

Gambit remained in the street about ten feet ahead. Rogue half expected the rest of the x-men to leapt out and help, as that's what almost always happens, but she knew they wouldn't; it was late at night and the city was semi- quiet (meaning really loud). At least, quiet for New York. She almost called out to Gambit for help, but didn't dare. So many things could go wrong. What if he was seriously hurt? Then they would catch him. Toad's powers would be extremely helpful right now; she could just jump over the truck that divided her from Gambit. Of course, that was one of the few powers she didn't have; super jump.

Rogue swallowed. Her throat was dry. "Ya want some, boys?" She called out in what she hoped was a seductive voice.

The first guy practically leapt out of the truck through the window, coming to land close to her. He took a step, hands twitching to get ahold of something. She took a step back, trying to figure out quickly what would be best to do. He followed, and she heard car doors slam as more men crept out. She just hoped Gambit would shut up and not screw up the whole thing.

"What's with your hair, babe?" another man called. "You been stressed lately? 'Cuz I can help you relieve all that… extra tension." She wanted to hit him so hard, but instead responded, heart pounding, "Is that right? Why don't you show me?" The first boy couldn't take it anymore and leapt at her, hands outstretched. Like lightning, she grabbed his wrists and wheeled him around. She brought her face close to his and hissed, "Hm, I thought you guys weren't too fond o' muties!"

Her eyes persisted with the burning, and she let loose. A neon bolt of piercing red shot out from both eyes, knocking the punk into his friends. They scrambled for the car, but Rogue thought hard of Spyke, and suddenly four bony spines shot out from her skin and popped the two tires before her. The men stared at her in sheer horror, then ran screaming and shouting away the way they had come until they were gone. Where the spikes had come out, there were sores, red and itchy. She frowned at them as the pulsating ache left her eyes.

"Marie! Quite a fighter, aren't we?" Before the men, Rogue had thought of that French creep as stalker-ish and perverted, but now she felt relieved to hear his voice. She let herself run to him, not thinking about how it actually made her seem like she cared about the jerk. She knelt down next to him, and realized her legs were shaking from her encounter.

"Aw, ees Marie scared?"

"I thought I told you…" she drifted off, smiling at him despite herself. "What did you do to yerself?"

He frowned. "Well, I tried to explode y' ice with one of ma trusty cards *wink*, but a shard of de stuff flew into my leg. So, tank y' for that."

She looked at his leg. A fairy large chunk of slowly melting ice was protruding from his right leg, where the ice had been thickest, and blood was dripping onto the street at a steady pace. She started to remove her jacket, but he stopped her.

"I'm fine, chere."

"Stop saying that!" she protested, punching him lightly on the arm.

The older man smiled. "What? I bet y' don't even know what dat means!"

"I took French, but…"

"Dear."

"Excuse me?"

"Eet means "dear." Chere; you ah dear to me."

"… Oh." Rogue looked at her feet reflectively.

He reached out and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. She immediately flinched back, but he presented his gloved hands. It was quiet for a moment, but then Gambit spoke. His spirit was subdued and his voice betrayed sadness. "Y' saved my life. I tought dat meant y' liked me… Why don' y' like me?"

Rogue sighed. She had told this to too many people.

"Because… " Gambit's shoulders slumped a little, and she suddenly had to tell him the truth. "I… I… love…you…," she paused for a moment. Why was she telling him this? But she had never vented her feelings before, and it felt so good and relieving. And she was sure of her feelings this time. She'd loved the Frenchman for a long time without realizing it, until tonight. "-but I can't get close to anyone I love, or… ya… know what will happen."

Gambit started at the girl in amazement.

"But… y' don' have to worry! I don' care about dat!"

"Ya will when yer dead!" Rogue retorted.

Gambit shook his head and placed his hands lightly on her shoulders. He felt her tense up at his touch. "Kiss me, chere."

"What?" She shook off his hands. "Are you insane?"

"Please kiss me. I'll show you I don' care."

"Gambit… Remy…"

He pulled her into him and locked his lips onto hers. He felt her lips part in surprise against him. Jolts immediately shot through his body, and his knees weakened, but he held her close and refused to let go. Sparks flew across his vision, and he had never felt anything like this, ever. In the meantime, Rogue's eyes flew open in surprise, and she resisted until she finally escaped and they broke apart. She managed to pull her head away, but he held her body close to him so she couldn't get away. "I'm hurting you!" she protested. As much as she tried to stop them, tears burned her eyes. "I'm hurting you, Remy! Let me go!"

Gambit was shaking all over, but he smiled weakly. "That… was… amazing, chere…" he breathed.

She stared at him in his fragile condition. "I can't hurt you, Remy!" He held tight. "If you won't let go…" She hesitated, not used to such free physical closeness, as he searched her face, trying to figure out what she was saying. She leaned in and kissed him again, this time strongly and passionately, until she felt his lack of response. She gently dragged him to the sidewalk and left him on the ground, unconscious.

The figure of the girl ran down the street towards her home, crying and repeating one word over and over again to herself between her sobs.

Chere.


End file.
